Upright vacuum cleaner having wet cleaning function

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to an upright vacuum cleaner, which includes a main body comprising a dust collecting apparatus and a vacuum motor for collecting dust; a main brush assembly disposed at a bottom of the main body and drawing in outside air and dust from a surface to be cleaned; a handle unit configured to control the main body and the main brush assembly; a main frame integrally connected to the handle unit and configured to support the main body; an air drawing pipe connected to the main body through which the outside air enters; and a wet cloth brush assembly connected to an end of the air drawing pipe and configured to perform a wet cloth cleaning work. When performing a vacuum cleaning work, the main brush assembly can be used, and when performing the wet cloth cleaning work, the wet cloth brush assembly can be used.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/761,619 filed Jan. 24, 2006 in the United States Patent & Trademark Office, and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Korean Patent Application No. 2006-16033 filed Feb. 20, 2006 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an upright vacuum cleaner having a wet cleaning function that can perform a vacuum cleaning work and a wet cloth cleaning work.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, an upright vacuum cleaner includes a main body, a main brush assembly, a handle unit, an air drawing pipe, and an auxiliary brush. The main body is provided with a dust collecting apparatus such as a dust bag, a cyclone dust collector, and so on separating dust from outside air entering through either the main brush assembly or the auxiliary brush, and a vacuum motor generating a vacuum. The main brush assembly is disposed at a bottom end of the main body to face a surface to be cleaned so that contaminant particles and/or dust enters from the surface to be cleaned to the dust collecting apparatus via the main brush assembly. The handle unit is disposed to a top end of the main body so that a user can grip the handle to control the upright vacuum cleaner. The air drawing pipe is connected to the auxiliary brush and is used to clean narrow places, walls, floors, and so on.

The conventional upright vacuum cleaner can effectively clean a surface covered with a carpet. However, there is a problem that the conventional upright vacuum cleaner cannot perform a wet cloth cleaning work for wiping out stains or grime embedded on hard floors such as hardwood floors, tiles, and marbles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure has been developed in order to overcome the above drawbacks and other problems associated with the conventional arrangement. An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an upright vacuum cleaner that can selectively perform either a wet cloth cleaning work or a vacuum cleaning work that it draws in outside air and separates dust or contaminant particles from the drawn-in outside air.

The above aspect and/or other feature of the present disclosure can substantially be achieved by providing an upright vacuum cleaner, which includes a main body comprising a dust collecting apparatus and a vacuum motor for collecting dust; a main brush assembly disposed at a bottom of the main body and drawing in outside air and dust from a surface to be cleaned; a handle unit configured to control the main body and the main brush assembly; a main frame integrally connected to the handle unit and configured to support the main body; an air drawing pipe connected to the main body through which the outside air enters; and a wet cloth brush assembly connected to an end of the air drawing pipe and configured to perform a wet cloth cleaning work. When performing a vacuum cleaning work, the main brush assembly can be used for a dust collection or the wet cloth brush assembly can be used for cleaning a stain on a floor selectively.

The air drawing pipe includes a flexible hose connected to the main body; and an extension pipe connected to the flexible hose, wherein the wet cloth brush assembly is detachably connected to an end of the extension pipe.

Also, in the upright vacuum cleaner according to the present disclosure, the main body and the main frame are configured to separate from each other, and the main brush assembly comprises a body mounting portion, at which the main body is mounted, at a top surface of the main brush assembly.

Furthermore, the main body includes a body grip for a user to grab. So that the user can grip the body grip to move the upright vacuum cleaner for performing a wet cloth cleaning work.

The main body includes a pair of slings so that a user can carry the main body on the user's back for performing the wet cloth cleaning work.

Also, the main body may be formed integrally with the main frame so as not to be separated from the main frame.

The wet cloth brush assembly includes a fan configured to be rotated by the entering outside air; and at least one wet cloth configured to receive power from the fan and to rotate.

With the upright vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, users can selectively perform either the vacuum cleaning work or the wet cloth cleaning work using one upright vacuum cleaner. Therefore, it is not required for the users to have a separate vacuum cleaner with a wet cleaning function.

With the upright vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, users can perform the wet cloth cleaning work while carrying the main body on the users' back when performing the wet cloth cleaning work for a long time. Also, the users can perform the wet cloth cleaning work while holding the main body in the users' hand when performing the wet cloth cleaning work for a short time. Therefore, it is convenient to use the upright vacuum cleaner according to the present disclosure.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an upright vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when a main body is mounted at a main frame;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the upright vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 when the main body is separated from the main frame;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a wet cloth brush assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state that a user performs a wet cloth cleaning work carrying the main body of FIG. 1 on the user's back; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state that a user performs a wet cloth cleaning work carrying the main body of FIG. 1 in the user's hand.

Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The matters defined in the description, such as a detailed construction and elements thereof, are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the disclosure. Thus, it is apparent that the present disclosure may be carried out without those defined matters. Also, well-known functions or constructions are omitted to provide a clear and concise description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 1 and 2 each is a view illustrating an upright vacuum cleaner 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the upright vacuum cleaner when a main body 12 is mounted at a main frame 22, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the upright vacuum cleaner when the main body 12 is separated from the main frame 22.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the upright vacuum cleaner 10 according to this embodiment includes a main body 12, a main frame 22, a handle unit 26, a main brush assembly 14, an air drawing pipe 16, and a wet cloth brush assembly 24.

The main body 12 includes a body grip 28, a dust collecting apparatus 30, a motor chamber 32 in which a vacuum motor (not shown) is disposed, and a pair of slings 29. The body grip 28 is formed in a substantially semicircular shape so that a user can perform the wet cloth cleaning work while holding the body grip 28 and carrying the main body 12 separated from the main frame 22 as shown in FIG. 2 in the user's hand (FIG. 5). The dust collecting apparatus 30 includes a cyclone chamber 31 and a dust receptacle 33 so as to force the entering outside air to whirl thereby centrifugally separating dust from the outside air. The motor chamber 32 is disposed below the dust collecting apparatus 30, and the vacuum motor (not shown) is disposed inside the motor chamber 32 so as to draw clean air passed through the dust collecting apparatus 30 into the motor chamber 32. The pair of slings 29 is disposed at a backside of the main body 12 so that, when performing the wet cloth cleaning work only using the main body 12, the users can carry the main body 12 on the users' back as shown in FIG. 4. The main body 12 is configured to be detachably mounted at the main frame 22. In other words, when performing the vacuum cleaning work for removing dust or contaminant particles from a surface to be cleaned, the user may use the main body 12 mounted at the main frame 22. Also, when performing the wet cloth cleaning work, the user may separate the main body 12 from the main frame 22, and use the separated main body 12 to perform the wet cloth cleaning work. The main body 12 further includes a flexible hose receiving opening (not shown) for selective connection of the flexible hose 18 to the main body 12 so that the flexible hose 18 fluidly communicates with the dust collecting apparatus 30 and the suction motor

An end of the main frame 22 is connected to a body mounting portion 34 at which the main body 12 is mounted and to the main brush assembly 14, and the other end of the main frame 22 is connected to the handle unit 26. The main frame 22 according to this embodiment is formed integrally with the handle unit 26 via an injection molding process. The main frame 22 has a plurality of locking parts 23 to which the main body 12 is fixed. A pair of wheels 15 is disposed at a bottom of the main frame 22 so as to assist the upright vacuum cleaner 10 to easily move. The body mounting portion 34 has a protrusion 34 a and at least one groove 34 b adapted to fix the main body 12.

When using the main body 12 mounted at the main frame 22, the user grips the handle unit 26 so as to control the upright vacuum cleaner 10. The handle unit 26 is provided with a switch 25 for turning on and off the vacuum motor.

The main brush assembly 14 includes an air drawing opening (not shown) through which the outside air enters and a brush drum (not shown) rotating to free dust from the carpet. ¹⁾A height adjusting knob 13 for adjusting the height of the brush drum are disposed at a top surface of the main brush assembly 14.

An end of the air drawing pipe 16 is connected to the backside of the main body 12, and the other end of the air drawing pipe 16 is connected to the wet cloth brush assembly 24. The air drawing pipe 16 includes a flexible hose 18 and a solid extension pipe 20. In detail, an end of the flexible hose 18 is connected to the main body 12 and an end of the extension pipe 20 is connected to the wet cloth brush assembly 24 so that the air drawing pipe 16 is in fluid communication with the dust collecting apparatus 30 and the motor chamber 32 of the main body 12. A handle portion 21 formed at the other end of the extension pipe 20 includes a power switch 17 for turning on and off the vacuum motor. The handle portion 21 may be formed various shapes. Also, the extension pipe 20 may be configured to expand and contract.

The wet cloth brush assembly 24 is connected to the end of the extension pipe 20 and is configured to remove stains and/or grime from a surface to be cleaned. As shown in FIG. 3, the wet cloth brush assembly 24 includes a top case 42, a bottom case 44, a fan 48, a pair of worms and worm wheels 52 and 50, a pair of rotation plates 54, and a pair of wet cloths 56. The wet cloth brush assembly 24 is connected to an extension pipe connector 58. An air drawing port 62 through which the outside air enters is formed at the bottom case 44. The fan 48 is disposed at an air flowing way through which the outside air flows from the air drawing port 62 to the extension pipe connector 58. In this embodiment, the fan 48 is detachably disposed at a middle of the bottom case 44 so as to be rotated by entering air. The pair of worms 52 rotating integrally with the fan 48 and the pair of worm wheels 50 engaged with the pair of worms 52 to rotate are disposed at both sides of the fan 48. Each of the rotation plates 54 is rotatably disposed under the bottom case 44 and is connected to each of the worm wheels 50. The wet cloth 56 is fixed to the bottom surface of the rotation plate 54 so as to rotate with the rotation plate 54. As a result, when the vacuum motor (not shown) disposed in the main body 12 operates, the outside air is drawn in through the air drawing port 62 so that the fan 48 is rotated by the current of the outside air. Then, the pair of worms 52 rotating integrally with the fan 48 cause the pair of worm wheels 50 and the pair of rotation plates 54 to rotate in series so that the pair of wet cloths 56 rotate in contact with the surface to be cleaned thereby removing embedded stains and/or grime from the surface to be cleaned.

Hereinafter, a use method of the upright vacuum cleaner having a wet cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

When performing the vacuum cleaning work for a carpet, a user mounts the main body 12 at the main frame 22 as shown in FIG. 1, and then, separates the extension pipe 20 and the wet cloth brush assembly 24 from the flexible hose 18. The user turns on the vacuum motor using the switch 25, grabs the handle unit 26, angles the main frame 22 with the main body 12 with respect to the main brush assembly 24, and then, moves the upright vacuum cleaner 10 along the surface to be cleaned. The outside air containing contaminant particles and dust is drawn in through the air drawing opening (not shown) of the main brush assembly 14, and enters the dust collecting apparatus 30 in the main body 12. Clean air having contaminant particles and dust separated in the dust collecting apparatus 30 is discharged to the outside through the motor chamber 32. The user can adjust the height of the main brush assembly 14 using the height-adjusting knob 13 according to a surface to be cleaned. Also, the brush drum (not shown) with bristles rotates to free dust from the carpet.

When performing the wet cloth cleaning work for hard surfaces to be cleaned, as shown in FIG. 4, the user separates the main body 12 from the main frame 22 and carries the main body 12 on the user's back using the pair of slings 29 so as to perform the wet cleaning work for the hard surfaces to be cleaned. At this time, the user can control the vacuum motor disposed in the main body 12 using the power switch 17 of the handle portion 21 of the extension pipe 20. When the vacuum motor operates, the outside air is drawn in through the air drawing port 62 of the wet cloth brush assembly 24 and crashes against blades of the fan 48 so as to force the fan 48 to rotate. Then, the outside air enters the dust collecting apparatus 30 disposed in the main body 12 through the extension pipe 20 and the flexible hose 18. When the fan 48 rotates, the pair of worms and worm wheels 52 and 50 rotates. When the pair of worm wheels 50 rotates, the rotation plate 54 connected to each of the worm wheels 50 rotates so that the wet cloth 56 fixed to the rotation plate 54 rotates to wipe the hard surface to be cleaned out. As a result, stains and grime are removed from the surface to be cleaned.

The outside air entering the dust collecting apparatus 30 has dust and contaminant particles removed inside the dust collecting apparatus 30 so as to become clean air, and then, the clean air is discharged to the outside through the motor chamber 32. Therefore, the upright vacuum cleaner 10 according to the present disclosure can selectively perform the vacuum cleaning work and the wet cloth cleaning work at the same time.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the user can perform the wet cloth cleaning work with holding the handle portion 21 of the extension pipe 20 in the user's one hand and with holding the body grip 28 of the main body 12 in the user's the other hand. When performing the wet cloth cleaning work for a short time, it is more convenient to grab the body grip 28 than to sling the main body 12 using the pair of slings 29.

In the above description, an upright vacuum cleaner having a structure in that the main body can be detachably mounted at the main frame is used as an example of an upright vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; however, this should not be considered as limiting. Alternately, an upright vacuum cleaner having a structure in that the main body is formed integrally with the main frame, namely, the main body cannot be separated from the main frame may employ the wet cloth brush assembly so as to perform the wet cloth cleaning work.

While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, additional variations and modifications of the embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art once they learn of the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims shall be construed to include both the above embodiments and all such variations and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 

1. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising: a main body comprising a dust collecting apparatus and a vacuum motor for collecting dust; a main brush assembly disposed at a bottom of the main body and drawing in outside air and dust from a surface to be cleaned; a handle unit configured to control the main body and the main brush assembly; a main frame integrally connected to the handle unit and configured to support the main body; an air drawing pipe connected to the main body through which the outside air enters; and a wet cloth brush assembly connected to an end of the air drawing pipe and configured to perform a wet cloth cleaning work, wherein, when performing a vacuum cleaning work, the main brush assembly can be used for a dust collection, or the wet cloth brush assembly can be used for cleaning a stain on a floor selectively.
 2. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the air drawing pipe comprises: a flexible hose connected to the main body; and an extension pipe connected to the flexible hose, wherein the wet cloth brush assembly is detachably connected to an end of the extension pipe.
 3. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the main body and the main frame are configured to separate from each other, wherein the main brush assembly comprises a body mounting portion, at which the main body is mounted, at a top surface of the main brush assembly.
 4. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the main body comprises a body grip for a user to grab.
 5. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the main body comprises a pair of slings so that a user can carry the main body on the user's back.
 6. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the main body is formed integrally with the main frame so as not to be separated from the main frame.
 7. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wet cloth brush assembly comprises: a fan configured to be rotated by the entering outside air; and at least one wet cloth configured to receive power from the fan and to rotate.
 8. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wet cloth brush assembly comprises: a fan configured to be rotated by the entering outside air; and at least one wet cloth configured to receive power from the fan and to rotate.
 9. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wet cloth brush assembly comprises: a fan configured to be rotated by the entering outside air; two worm gears rotating integrally with the fan; a worm wheel engaged with each of the two worm gears; a rotation plate connected to each of the worm wheels; and a wet cloth fixed to a bottom surface of each of the rotation plates so as to rotate with the rotation plates. 